Replaceable valve seat adapter



Dec. 20, 1960 M. GRAZIOSI 2,964,758

REPLACEABLE VALVE SEAT ADAPTER Filed Junel, 1956 INVENTOR. MICHAEL GRAZIOSI 45' v 43 42 BY Wm A TORNEY United States Patent REPLACEABLE VALVE SEAT ADAPTER Michael Graziosi, ass Second St., Jersey City, NJ.

Filed June 1, 1956, Ser. No. 588,684

4 Claims. (Cl. 4-51) The present invention relates to valves and more particularly to improvements in valves for water closet flush tanks.

As is well known, the conventional water closet used at the present time has a water tank that holds a supply of water for flushing the siphon closet. A manually controlled valve within the water closet is selectively operated by a handle to open the valve and permit the Water to flow through an outlet pipe. This valve is of the type wherein a ball is received in a seat in the metal or cast iron outlet pipe. The ball and the seat within which it fits are carefully formed so that a water tight seal is effected when the ball is in place. When it is desired to flush the closet, the ball is raised from the seat and the water within the tank can then pass through the outlet. It is known that due to abrasive substances in the water and the acidic properties of the water, the valve seats within which the ball is received become corroded, pitted and out of true round. The result is that the ball does not fit properly within the seat causing wasteful water leakage. To overcome this, it is necessary to either regrind the valve seat, or if this cannot be conveniently done to make a replacement of the valve. This procedure is, of course, very costly and time consuming. It is to this general problem that the present invention is directed.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide an improved valve especially adapted for flush tanks wherein a defective valve seat may be conveniently replaced.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a valve seat adapter which may be conveniently installed on a defective valve seat.

A further object of this invention is to provide a replaceable valve seat which will have universal application for accommodating various types of rubber flush tank ball valves.

A further object of this invention is to provide a replaceable valve seat which will cooperate with a rubber ball valve in a certain and efiicient manner.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a replaceable valve seat which is of simple construction and susceptible to ready and convenient installation and removal.

In accordance with the above and other objects, the present invention contemplates an annular valve seat which may be conveniently placed over the metal or cast iron valve seats now commonly found in flush tanks. The annular valve seat has two pivotally mounted arcuate clamping arms which may be swung to the open position when placing the valve seat adapter of the present invention in position. The clamping arms are then pivoted around to the clamping position and secured in place by thumb screws. With the annular valve seat thus in place over the outlet opening, and the arcuate clamping arms swung into the closet or clamping position the thumb screws are tightened to securely hold the adapter in place. The ball may then be lowered into position and received 2,964,758 Patented Dec. 20, 1960 by the valve seat of the present adapter in a snug water tight fit. It is seen then that as the conventional metal or cast iron valve seat now found in water tanks becomes corroded or pitted, it is not necessary to replace the old seat. The valve seat adapter of the present invention is conveniently mounted on the corroded or otherwise defective valve seat and the valve is then in condition for further use.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following description of a specific embodiment thereof taken with the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the interior of a water flush tank showing the adapter of the present invention mounted in place;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the valve seat adapter of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a top view similar to Fig. 2 but with the arcuate clamping arms swung to their open position;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the adapter of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a. side view of one of the arcuate clamping arms; and

Fig. 6 is a side view of the other arcuate clamping arm.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. l, numeral 10 represents the bottom of a water tank of the type used for controlling the supply of water for flushing siphon closets. A threaded outlet pipe 11 is received through an opening or hole 12 in the bottom member 10. The pipe terminates in a flange member 13 which has a flared inner portion 14 comprising the valve seat within which ball 15 is received. The hexagonal nut 16 threaded on the outlet pipe holds this portion of the valve mechanism in place and a pair of washers 17 and 18 provide a water tight fit.

Numeral 19 represents the usual overflow pipe through which water will drain in case it rises too high in the tank, the pipe thereby preventing water from overflowing the walls of the tank. The valve is operated by a handle 21 which is mounted on the outside vertical wall of the flush tank and which when rotated actuates a control device including a hooked rod 22 to which is connected an adjustable plate 23. When plate 23 is raised it lifts a pair of rods 24 and 25 to lift the rubber ball 15 oflf its seat and thereby open the valve to permit the water to drain from the tank through pipe 11. This valve control mechanism is more specifically described in US. Patent No. 2,706,818, and reference may be had thereto.

After constant use, the valve seat 14 which receives the ball 15 becomes pitted or corroded so that when the ball is in place there is a certain amount of leakage of water from the flush tank which will pass through the outlet pipe 11 even when the valve is closed. In order to avoid the work and expense in regrincling or replacing the flanged member 13, the valve seat adapter of the present invention is fitted over the defective seat. The adapter is generally indicated by numeral 26 and comprises an annular valve seat 49 having a seat retainer flange 28 which fits over the upper flat surface of the flanged member 13. A rubber washer or gasket 29 is interposed between the flange 28 and the upper surface of member 13. Extending radially outward from flange 28 are three equally spaced projections 31, 32 and 33 each of which has a hole passing therethrough. A pair of arcuate shaped clamping arms 34 and 35 are pivotally mounted to the valve seat adapter by a thumb screw 36 which passes through the hole in projection 33 and is received in suitable holes in the ends of the clamping arms.

Clamping arm 35 has a projection 37 having a threaded hole 38 for a purpose hereinafter to be described. Another projection 39 extending radially outward at the other end of clamping arm 35 has a hole or aperture therethrough which is aligned with the hole in projection 33 so that thumb screw 36 will pass through this hole 41 in the projection 39. Clamping arm 34 has a radially extending projecting 42 similar to the projection 37 in arm 35. Projection 42 has a threaded hole 43 for a purpose hereinafter to be described. Clamping arm 34 hasa ninety degree offset as more clearly seen in Fig. 6. The offset portion has a projection 44 which extends radially outward and has a threaded hole 45 passing therethrough. With the clamping arms 34 and 35 properly positioned, thumb screw 36 will pass through the holes in projections 33 and 39 of flange 28 and clamping arm 35, respectively, and will be received in the threaded hole in projection 44 of clamping arm 34. It is seen then that by tightening the thumb screw 36 the valve seat and the two clamping arms are brought together and may be firmly held in a fixed position. With arms 34 and 35 pivoted to their closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, a thumb screw 46 may pass through the opening or hole in projection 32 of the seat retainer flange and be received in the threaded hole 43 of clamping arm 34. Similarly a thumb screw 47 passes through the hole in the projection 31 of the seat retainer flange and is received in the threaded opening 38 of clamping arm 35. Thus it is seen that by removing thumb screws 46 and 47, and loosening thumb screw 36, the arms 34 and 35 may be pivoted outward as shown in Fig. 3 and they may be swung inward to their closed position and firmly held in place by the three thumb screws.

Referring now again to Fig. 1, there is shown the valve seat adapter fixed in position over the flanged member 13. When this member becomes defective and in need of replacement, it is only necessary to position the adapter of the present invention in place. This is done by removing thumb screws 46 and 47 and loosening thumb screw 36 to swing the clamping arms open. The washer 29 is fixed or placed in position and the annular flange 28 of the present adapter is placed over the rubber washer. The arms 34 and 35 are then swung or pivoted to their closed position and thumb screws 46 and 47 screwed into place. Then by tightening the three thumb screws, the adapter is firmly and securely held in place. The seating surface of the present adapter is represented by the numeral 48 and is curved as shown more clearly in Figures 1 and This seating surface is extended upward by means of an annular ridge 49 which is integral with the body portion 27 of the adapter. In order to properly guide the thumb screws, each of the projections 3.1, 32 and 33 has a circular boss 51, 52 and 53, respectively, as seen in Fig. 4. Thus, when inserting the thumb screws in position they will be properly guided without sideward tilting thereof.

Though the present invention has been described with respect to a specific embodiment thereof, it is understood that this is not to be considered as limiting the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A valve seat replacement adapter of the character described comprising a body member including an annular ring having a circular opening therethrough, the inner surface of said ring being curved and flaring inwardly to provide a valve seat surface, a circular flange integral with said ring and extending radially outward, a pair of arcuate clamping arms pivotally mounted to the under surface of said flange whereby the arms may be extended to an open position and pivoted to a closed position concentric with said annular ring, each of said arcuate clamping arms comprising an arc of less than half a circle, first screw means passing through said body member and through one of the pair of clamping arms whereby said arm may be locked in the closed position,

second screw means passing through said body member and through the other of said pair of clamping arms whereby the arm may be locked in the closed position.

2. A valve seat replacement adapter of the character described comprising a body member including an annular ring having a circular opening therethrough, the inner surface of said ring being curved and flaring inwardly to provide a valve seat surface, a circular flange integral with said ring and extending radially outward, a pair of arcuate clamping arms pivotally mounted at a common point to the under surface of said flange whereby the arms may be extended to an open position and pivoted to a closed position concentric with and partially surrounding said annular ring, each of said arcuate clamping arms comprising an arc of less than half a circle, a plurality of screws passing through said body member and through the clamping arms whereby said arms may be locked in the closed position and urged toward the under surface of said circular flange.

3. A valve seat replacement device adapted to fit over the flared annular valve seat of a water closet ball valve comprising a body member including an annular ring having a circular opening therethrough, the inner surface of said ring being curved inwardly to provide a replacement valve seat to receive said ball, a circular flange integral with said ring and extending radially outward, said flange being adapted to fit over a flared water closet valve, a pair of arcuate clamping arms pivotally mounted to said body member, each of said arcuate clamping arms comprising an arc of less than half a circle whereby the arms may be extended to an open position and pivoted to a closed position concentric with said ring and encircling substantially a 300 arc thereof, first and second screw means passing through said body member and through each of said clamping arms respectively whereby the arms may be separately and independently locked in a closed position around a flared water closet valve to lock the replacement device in a fixed water tight fit against said water closet valve.

4. A valve seat replacement device adapted to fit over the flared annular valve seat of a water closet ball valve comprising a body member including an annular ring having a circular opening therethrough, the inner surface of said ring being curved inwardly to provide a replacement valve seat to receive said ball, a circular flange integral with said ring and extending radially outward, said flange being adapted to fit over a flared water closet valve, a pair of arcuate clamping arms pivotally mounted at a common point to said body member, each of said arcuate clamping arms comprising an arc of less than half a circle whereby the arms may be extended to an open position and pivoted to a closed position concentric with said ring and encircling a substantially 300 arc thereof, said circular flange having a pair of projections extending radially outward thereof, each of said projections being displaced substantially from said common point and from each other, a pair of screws passing respectively through each of said projections and a respective one of said clamping arms whereby the arms may be locked in a closed position around a flared water closet valve to lock the replacement device in a fixed water tight fit against said water closet valve.

Edmunds Oct. 13, 1908 Ciaccio et a1. Feb. 13, 1940 

